The Predetermined Killer
by Swagnarok
Summary: As they're leaving a bank Conan, Nancy, and Kogoro witness a murder in broad daylight, in the middle of a busy street, committed by a man who takes no effort to disguise himself. They later find that the killer believes in UFOs and time travelers. Conan connects the dots at the end and lays out the resolution to what should prove an interesting case. Episode 930.


The interrogation room was stuffy and well-lit.

On one side of the table sat Inspector Megure. On the other sat the suspect, Kazumi Inoue, age 31. Well, to call him a suspect was a bit generous.

"...Do you realize what you've done?" Megure asked.

"Y-yeah," Kazumi said. "I know."

"Why?"

"You're asking for a motive?"

"That's right," Megure said. "What drove you to kill a man?"

"I can't say. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me," Megure said. "You didn't take my life. Why can't you say?"

"T-that's..." Kazumi stammered. "Anyhow, does it matter why I did it? Isn't it enough that you know I'm the killer? Last I checked you don't require a stated motive to throw me in jail."

"..If that's the way it has to be." Megure stood up. "You are guilty of murder. The courts will decide your fate."

Kogoro, Conan, and Nancy were watching from the adjacent room.

 **Opening**

(Escape by Ling Tosite Sigure)

One day I'll decipher the truth behind this elaborate deception

One day I'll find the shining door that leads to the outside

The hidden eyes of this world which have been watching me for so long

Have no idea that now I stare back, more determined than ever to escape!

(Trying new things is refreshing to the soul! A murder in broad daylight...but what's the motive? Is a complex fraudulent scheme at play? Perceiving the one and only truth! With the body of a child but the mind of an adult...my name is Detective Conan!)

For years now I've tried everything to stifle my long-standing suspicions

My gut feeling that something was fundamentally wrong with the world

I convinced myself I that I was imagining it, laughing nervously as I talked

I played it straight, lived my life, and drank deeply of all this world had to offer

But I can't take it anymore, I don't know who and what is real anymore

I need to clear my head, to splash cold water on my face, but is the water real?

One day I'll make sense of the inconsistencies that pop up around me

One day I'll piece together this incoherent puzzle which is the truth

One day I'll decipher the truth behind this elaborate deception

One day I'll find the shining door that leads to the outside

The hidden eyes of this world which have been watching me for so long

Have no idea that now I stare back, more determined than ever to escape!

 **The Predetermined Killer**

Kogoro, Conan, and Nancy were now leaving the police station. They all had a serious look on their faces.

"I…I still can't believe someone would commit a murder on a busy street surrounded by witnesses," Kogoro said. "Without bothering to disguise himself, no less."

Earlier that day, they had stopped at the bank to cash a 50,000 yen check given by a grateful client, whose wife it turned out had not been cheating on him. As they were walking out of the bank with the money in hand, they witnessed Kazumi Inoue brandish a butcher's knife and attack a man, Yoshi'ichi Miyaki, age 35, slitting his throat. The screaming masses practically trampled over each other in their efforts to get away, fearing that a massacre was about to take place, but the culprit seemed eerily apathetic to the people around him. Not wanting to take any chances that this man might harm him or the two children in his care, Kogoro tackled the man to the ground and seized the knife. The police arrived a minute later and Kazumi was taken into custody. As witnesses to the crime, Kogoro, Conan, and Nancy were escorted to the police station for questioning.

"…Yeah, we're on our way home now," Kogoro said. "Then I'll tell you what happened. Yeah, I love you too. Bye."

Nancy looked at Conan. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I'm not satisfied," Conan said.

"Not…satisfied," Nancy repeated.

"There are too many unanswered questions," Conan said. "Are we really supposed to believe that he just killed a guy for no reason? If he were a serial killer, who sporadically committed murders on impulse, he wouldn't commit the crime in such a public place, with so many people around. If he was planning on committing a massacre, he wouldn't have ignored all the people around him."

"You're thinking too much about this," Kogoro said. "Perhaps he just wanted that one person dead but he also wanted to take responsibility for his crime afterwards. I mean, suppose that some murderers aren't totally devoid of a conscience?"

"But in that case why would he refuse to tell the police anything?" Conan asked.

"Perhaps his motive was something personal and embarrassing, like the victim caught him in the act of an extramarital affair and was blackmailing him," Kogoro said. "In any case, the police don't need my help to uncover the details behind what happened. The best thing we can do is to just go back to our normal routine and forget this happened."

 **Scene Transition**

"…And done." He got up from the desk.

"My, how convenient that homework only takes five minutes for us," Nancy said, lying on her bed with a phone in hand.

"Yeah," Conan said. "Anyways, I'm going out."

"I take it you're going to investigate earlier's shooting?" Nancy asked.

"You guessed right. Wanna come with me?"

She shrugged. "I've got nothing better to do."

She turned the phone off and got up. The two of them walked into the kitchen.

Kogoro was reading that day's edition of the Beika Times, a local newspaper; Conan noticed that the front page's format had changed from what it had been a mere day ago. Eri was reviewing some of the details of her latest client's alleged crime.

"Uncle Kogoro, Auntie Eri, we're going to the Professor's house," Conan said.

"Be back before midnight," Eri said. "Tomorrow's a school day."

"We will, bye," Nancy said.

 **Scene Transition**

"Eeeeehhhh?! Mouri-san wants you to ask the culprit a few questions, Conan-kun?" Takagi said.

"Y-yeah," Conan said. "Here, you can talk to him if you want."

He handed a phone to Takagi.

"Is this Mouri-san?" he asked.  
"Takagi-kun, I want you to let Conan talk to him," Kogoro's voice said. "I'm busy right now, so I can't be up there myself. That's why I sent the brat."

"B-but…"

"Takagi-kun, do you want to explain to Inspector Megure why you're hindering my investigation?" Kogoro's voice asked. "I've given Conan a short list of questions to ask. It should take ten minutes at most."

"Uh, all right then," Takagi said.

Then he handed the phone back to Conan, not noticing that the number displayed on the screen belonged to Nancy. "Right this way."

 **Scene Transition**

Nancy grabbed the railing and climbed onto the balcony of Kazumi's home, taking the grappling hook with her inside so that no random passerby would notice the rope dangling from there.

She activated the Detective Boys badge. "I'm in."

"Are you sure you're okay with doing this?" Conan asked.

"Relax, it's not like I'm gonna get caught," Nancy said. "He lives alone, after all."

"Who told you that?"

"The man's a total slob, as far as I can see," Nancy said. "Classic sign of a bachelor."

"Colour me impressed," Conan said. "Anyway, is there anything you observed about his personality?"

"Well, the more I look around, the more it seems he's a bit…kooky."

"How so?" Conan asked, nearing the interrogation room.

"He has a number of alien-related paraphernalia," Nancy said. "Also, he has a book on his shelf which caught my eye. Hmm…"

"What about that book?" Conan asked.

"It gives accounts of supposed time travelers throughout modern history," Nancy said. "For instance, the author purports that US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by a time traveler identified only as the 'Umbrella Man'. Also, a man known only as the 'Tourist Guy' supposedly traveled back in time to witness the September 11 attacks up close."

"Thanks," Conan said. "If you find anything else, let me know."

 **Scene Transition**

"Hey, what is this…?" Kazumi demanded.

"Inoue-san, this boy is going to ask you some questions on behalf of Mouri-san."

"Wait, you mean that famous detective?!" Kazumi asked.

"Yup," Conan said in his usual childish voice. "He had stuff to do so he sent me."

Kazumi shrugged. "Ask away, kid."

Takagi left the room, leaving Conan alone with Kazumi. Conan sat down.

"You've got some nerve, kid, coming alone to face an admitted killer," Kazumi said.

"Are you someone who I should fear?" Conan asked, again with an innocent child's voice.

"No, you should be thanking me," Kazumi said. "The whole country should be thanking me, but I suppose they'll never know."

"Know what?" Conan asked.

"…Nothing. Ask your questions."

"Inoue-san, is it true that you believe in aliens and UFOs?" Conan asked.

Kazumi started blushing. "What? Uh, yeah, what's wrong with that? Lots of smart people believe in UFOs. I'm not a nutjob. Why does Mouri-san want to know that? Hey, don't tell me he searched my home! Does he have a warrant for that, huh?!"

"Uh, uncle Kogoro asked several people you know," Conan lied.

"Uncle Kogoro? Wait, I know you! When Mouri-san solves a case, you're always nearby! I have some theories about you, kid."

Dang, I'd better change the subject, Conan thought. "Uh, do you also believe in time travelers?"

Kazumi was shifting uncomfortably in his seat now. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

Conan didn't say anything, instead simply staring at Kazumi.

"What's wrong with that, huh?! It's quite reasonable to think that some people travel backwards in time!" Kazumi said. "But that has no relevance to this case! None! You can tell Mouri-san that he's wasting his time asking about UFOs and time travelers because that has absolutely nothing to do with this case!"

"Or in other words, it has everything to do with this case," Conan said. "As far as the police know, you have no connection to the victim. They're scouring your online activities, talking to your neighbours, friends, and family; however, I suspect that you didn't know him."

"Ha! Now you think you're some kind of detective, huh?!"  
"Your fringe beliefs about UFOs and time travel didn't somehow drive you to kill a man, did they?"

Kazumi rose from his seat. "This interview is over! Guards, escort this kid out!"

"February 1, Friday," Conan said, an eerily mature tone in his voice. "This is my last entry ever, most likely. I don't have a lot of time. Three more days and then it happens. I know that I must act before then. I'll do it on Sunday."

"H-hey! You been reading my diary?!" Kazumi demanded.

"I've been monitoring his weekly routine for a month now and I know that he works on Sundays from 11 to 2," Conan continued. ""If I show up at 10:45 I can intercept him as he arrives for work. Then again, he might not show up for work the day before he does it. If that happens, I'll have to kill him in his home or wherever. I'd prefer to do it in broad daylight so that there's no question of my guilt, and hence no investigation. If they find out about him, that'd be bad. No point going to work today or tomorrow, I'll use that time to make peace with everyone I know and perhaps hold one last big party with my friends, if I'm in the mood for that kind of thing. Man, what a cross to bear. I know that, as a good person, I cannot sit by and let it happen. I must do whatever I can to prevent it, no matter the price I must pay afterwards. Even if the world sees me as a murderer, a worthless person, at least I will know that I am a hero, that my life wasn't an insignificant blip on the radar of history. And, for what it's worth, that person will remember. Yes, I know he will."

Nancy finished reading and put the diary back on the desk in Kazumi's room. "I'm leaving now, if that's alright with you."

"Okay," Conan said.

A tear was sliding down Kazumi's face. He was silent.

"Inoue-san, a man contacted you, didn't he?" Conan asked. "He said that he was from the future, that a man named Yoshi'ichi Miyaki was going to commit mass murder on February 4 of this year. He said that he wanted you to kill this man on his behalf. Did I get any part of this wrong?"

"…Where do you go to school, kid?" Kazumi asked.

"Teitan Primary," Conan said.

The man smiled. "In that case, you owe me your life. The February 4 incident in question would've been a knife attack on the students and faculty of Teitan Primary. It would've gone down in history as the Teitan Primary School Massacre, and it would've resulted in the deaths of 17 people besides Miyaki-san himself, and an additional 22 people would've been seriously injured. And for the record, I will not confess to any outside party being involved in what I did."

"Why not?" Conan asked.

"Because there's gonna be more," Kazumi said. "In the next 33 years there will be 5 major spree killings in Japan besides the one that I prevented. That man from the future can't stop them if he's in prison. For that reason, I volunteered to be his agent, and he'll recruit other people to stop the other massacres from taking place."

"Don't you realise that you've been played?" Conan asked. "Have you never considered the possibility that he was a normal guy from this time who simply held a grudge against the man you killed?"

"You're wrong!" Kazumi said. "He is from the future! He proved it to me the first time we met!"

"How did he do that?" Conan pressed.

"He gave me a copy of the Beika Times dated February 5 of this year," Kazumi said. "On the front page was news of the massacre."

Wait a second, Conan thought. "When was the first time you met this man?"

"About two months ago," Kazumi said.

"I'll be right back."

 **Scene Transition**

Conan was running in the hallway when he saw Inspector Megure who, like a typical cop, had a half-eaten donut in his hand. "Ah, _Megure-kebu_!"

"Ehh, Conan-kun?" Megure said. "What are you doing here? Didn't Mouri-san go home already?"

"Do you have a spare newspaper lying around?" Conan asked. "I need the Beika Times, today's edition."

"Uh, sure," Megure said. "I picked up a copy this morning. It's sitting on my desk. Why do you need it?"

"Uncle Kogoro told me to ask for it," Conan said. "He didn't tell me why."

Megure sighed. "I'll go get it."

 **Scene Transition**

Conan re-entered the interrogation room. He laid the newspaper on the table.

Kazumi stared at it for a few seconds, and then…

"W-wait a minute!" he said. "This isn't right!"

"Inoue-san, what's the matter?" Conan asked.

"The format is all wrong," Kazumi said. "The copy from February 4 had the exact same format as it's been for the past few years."

"His prediction of the future was wrong," Conan said. "What happened was simple: he fabricated the February 4 edition that you were given. He knew the exact format of the paper, as well as the printing material used, and he created a fake newspaper. However, he couldn't have predicted that the format was going to change noticeably in a mere two months."

"H-he's still from the future," Kazumi said. "It wasn't just the copy from February 4. When we met, he first gave me a copy of the next day's paper. It was spot-on, to the letter. Could a man who isn't from the future do that?"

"Perhaps he was an employee of the Beika Times?" Conan suggested. "What time of day was it when he handed you the next day's paper?"

"Uh, well, it was nearly midnight," Kazumi admitted.

"Then isn't it possible that, it having been put together and printed, he snuck out a copy of the next day's edition and gave it to you?" Conan asked.

Kazumi was silent.

"Inoue-san, there's no such thing as time travelers," Conan said. "I suspect that now you realise you've been played. You were tricked into murdering a guy. You're going to spend the rest of your life behind bars no matter what, so don't you want the true murderer to pay as well? For ruining your life and having you violate your conscience in such a heinous way, that is."

"…If you can go get a police officer in here, I'm ready to talk," Kazumi said. "I don't know his name, but…I know what he looks like, so I can give the police a description. I want…I want this guy caught. I killed a guy in cold blood…because of him."

After giving a description, the police identified the mastermind behind the murder as Shinya Fukuda, age 34, a journalist at the Beika Times, who resented Miyaki for stealing his girlfriend. Afterwards, the police checked the security camera footage from a certain day two months prior and obtained hard evidence of him stealing a copy of the next day's paper. Presented with this evidence, Fukuda quietly went with the police to the station.

 **Ending:**

(If I Must Fade Away by Aya Kamiki)

If I must fade away

Into the great nothingness that only God knows

Then I want to spend my last moments with you

Gaze deeply into my eyes and set my soul on fire

Let my last few minutes be like an eternity passed

Speak to me tenderly and truthfully, a deathbed confession

Tell me how well I lived, what difference my life made

Let me hear the voices of the people whose lives I touched

Let me hear them say to me, "Thank you" and "Farewell"

Let it be God has weighed the life I lived and found it good

Let His face smile upon me as I enter what lies after death

Hold me tightly, don't let go as long as life is still within me

As my senses go numb let your warmth be the last thing I feel

Above all, let not this heart of mine live its last moments in bitterness

But rather, let me be happy that I was alive, ready to let go with a smile

 **Post-Ending:**

The next day, Conan and Nancy were walking home from school.

"You know, I never thanked you for yesterday," Conan said. "It was brave of you to break into that guy's home like that."

"Well, balcony door was unlocked so technically it wasn't breaking and entering," Nancy said. "Besides, I got something in return."

"Wut?"

It was that moment when Haibara and Ayumi caught up with them.

"You got it ready?" Haibara asked.

"Yup, it's laid out on the office floor," Nancy said. "Let's go."

And that's how Nancy, Haibara, and Ayumi ended up doing stretches on a large yoga mat mat that Nancy had swiped from Kazumi's apartment.

 **End of Episode**

Coming Soon:

The elusive Rum's identity is revealed, and the CIA, FBI, and PSB unite to capture him. Yoko Okino orders Shinichi/Conan/Cognac to prevent this from happening. Can he find a way to satisfy all parties? Also, is his secret identity in jeopardy?

 **Midnight Pursuit of a Black Specter**


End file.
